Italy's Likely Starting XI for World Cup Play-off Against Northern Ireland
Following the initial day of training, and with several injury concerns still present, early indications are beginning to surface regarding Italy's potential starting lineup for their World Cup play-off match against Northern Ireland.
The semi-final fixture of the World Cup play-offs is scheduled to commence at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo this Thursday, with kick-off at 19:45 GMT (20:45 CET).
The victor of this match will advance to the final on Tuesday, March 31, where they will compete against either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Gattuso's Italy Squad Continues to Evolve
Manager Gennaro Gattuso has already had to adjust his squad significantly because of injuries, notably sending Federico Chiesa back to Liverpool and subsequently calling up Nicolò Cambiaghi from Bologna.
Furthermore, several other players remain doubtful due to fitness issues, including Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Sandro Tonali, and Gianluca Mancini.
Reports widely suggest that Gattuso plans to deploy Italy in a 3-5-2 formation, with Manchester City's Gianluigi Donnarumma expected to start in goal and captain the team.
Should either Bastoni or Arsenal's Calafiori be unavailable, Federico Gatti is considered the most probable replacement.
In midfield, Davide Frattesi stands as the primary alternative for Tonali. Matteo Politano is anticipated to start, despite being seen today with a visible bandage on his shin.
Manuel Locatelli, Nicolò Barella, and Federico Dimarco are all expected to secure starting spots.
Gianluca Scamacca has been definitively ruled out of the semi-final due to injury, which means Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui are likely to maintain their positions in attack.
Despite his impressive recent performances for Inter, striker Francesco Pio Esposito is not yet expected to feature in the starting eleven.
Italy (3-5-2) Probable XI: Donnarumma; Calafiori, Mancini, Bastoni; Politano, Locatelli, Tonali, Barella, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui
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